He Lives Here
This is Part Twenty in a series. Trigger for mention of rape.
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen, Part Seventeen, Part Eighteen, Part Nineteen
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“The Shadow Man lives here,” Finbar said. He stepped forward, so Isabel could see him.
“I knew it was true,” she breathed.
Isabel turned back to glare at Nico. “But what in all the hells are you doing here?” She then looked at me. “Do you know what your friend did to me?”
Maris said, “Perhaps you should come inside. It's better to talk where people can't see or hear us.”
Isabel gave both me and Nico a glare just as poisonous as any of Finbar's, but she entered the house. Nico held my hand so tightly I thought he might break my fingers, and I felt how much he was shaking. How - this couldn't be happening, but it was. Out of the corner of my eye, I even saw tears start to form in Nico's eyes.
“You shouldn't allow that to stay in your house,” Isabel hissed, referring almost certainly to Nico.
Maris sighed. “Why don't we all go into the sitting room, and Isabel, you can tell us why you're even here? I must admit I'm curious.”
When we entered the sitting room, I took a seat next to Nico on the couch. He continued to grasp my hand, and I didn't have it in me to make him let go. He shook so badly, I almost wished I could hold him. That wouldn't be appropriate in front of Isabel, though. I knew I shouldn't even feel bad for Nico at all, but I simply couldn't help it. It seemed Nico's apparent remorse might tear him apart.
Isabel remained standing, her arms crossed over her chest. Finbar remained standing as well and kept staring at her, curiosity and something else in his expression. It looked like the expressions he used to give me, before everything. Was he - was he expressing romantic interest in her? Did he even like women? Did I even care anymore? Part of me felt I ought to be more jealous than I was.
Maris took a seat in one of the chairs in the room. “Do you want to take seat, Isabel?”
“I'm fine,” she said.
“I can't believe there's another - another like me,” Finbar breathed. He seemed almost hypnotized by the shadows that crossed Isabel's light brown face. “How?”
“Y-you can't - can't be here. As you - as you were, o-over fifty years ago,” Nico stammered.
“The shadows keep me looking young, and time flows funny when you're embroiled in darkness,” she muttered. “It doesn't feel like it's been all that long.”
Maris asked, “So, before we discuss - that, why don't you tell me how and why you found us? It's not exactly like my house is a popular tourist destination.”
“Rumors,” Isabel stated. “I heard a 'Shadow Man' was disrupting the market and that a woman who liked to fight with knives had taken him prisoner. All I had to do was follow the rumors as they spread. It was easy enough to figure it out”
“Rumors do travel faster than anything else,” Maris said.
“How - did it happen to you?” Finbar asked. He definitely stared at her, blatantly fascinated.
“It was all Nico's fault,” Isabel spat.
Nico's eyes widened, “I - I never...”
She glared at him with murderous fury. “Not directly, you stupid - it was after you raped me.”
He whimpered and tried to curl into himself, still not letting go of my hand.
Isabel stared at me. “You knew already, didn't you? Yet you hold his hand like you're lovers.”
My cheeks burned; I had to be visibly blushing. I avoided Isabel's eyes. Nevertheless, I felt her contemptuous gaze bore into me. The sheer amount of disgust in those eyes made my skin crawl.
“You - you are lovers,” she said, disbelief rolling off her.
I wanted to lie and protest it wasn't true, but I nodded instead.
She threw her hands up in the air and shot me another poisonous look. It surprised me I didn't immediately die from it, though my heart did stop.
Finbar muttered, “Breccan has terrible taste; the whore just can't keep his trousers on.”
“That's enough!” Maris snapped. “Isabel, if you don't mind, could you explain exactly how you came to be this way? Everything I learned about magic says shadow people shouldn't be possible once, let alone twice.”
I dared to look at her now. Isabel straightened her posture, standing up to her full height. “I had an inner strength even Nico couldn't destroy, though he tried.” She glared at him yet again. “He's even more pathetic now than he was then, only now he holds absolutely no sway over me.”
“What specifically caused the shadows?” Maris asked.
Isabel said, “After Nico was too weak to take no for an answer, I left the inn where we were staying. Being angry and now homeless, I wandered the city despite rumors of evil creatures coming out at night. I wasn't going back to Nico, despite not having any money of my own. Naturally, one of these rumored creatures found me after night fell.” She glanced at Nico. “Having had enough of evil taking from me, I refused to let the shadow creature kill me. Unfortunately, I was not a skilled enough fighter to keep its shadow attacks from touching me. I was, however, strong enough to incorporate the shadows into myself.”
Finbar looked at me and muttered, “That's much like what happened to me, though I got mine helping a man most certainly not worth the trouble.”
“Him?” Isabel snorted.
“Yes, Breccan. We were partners, once,” Finbar said.
Isabel shook her head. “I'm sorry it happened to you, too, especially over someone with his poor morals.”
Nico squeaked, “H-hey, Breccan doesn't - doesn't have poor morals.”
Isabel laughed, a deep, yet derisive belly laugh. “You're going to talk about who has poor morals or not? That's something. That's really, really something.”
I couldn't process what was happening. Why would Nico even try to defend me like that?
“Why don't I make everyone some coffee?” Maris suggested. “Try not to kill each other while I'm gone.”
“Oh, I would kill Nico if he were mortal,” Isabel hissed. “I have no tolerance for fake remorse. I probably could kill him even now, with my power, but I won't bother.”
Maris exited the room. With everything that had happened, I could use some coffee.
Finbar said, “I don't think Nico is worth the effort.”
“He probably isn't,” Isabel agreed. “But that doesn't mean he deserves to live.”
The two of them shared a look. They seemed so alike because of their of shadows. A great sense of distance hit me; I was so far from Finbar now.
“I don't deserve to live,” Nico whispered, so softly I wasn't sure anyone else heard him.
Isabel did hear him. “At least we agree on something.”
“I truly am sorry for raping you,” Nico said.
“He is. I can tell.” The words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them. I realized almost immediately how I wasn't helping anything.
“Of course you would defend your new lover,” Finbar muttered.
Maris finally returned with the coffee. After she handed me my cup, I sipped it while avoiding Isabel's and Finbar's eyes. I did catch Nico's eye, though. He smiled slightly at me and mouthed “thank you.” Luckily, nobody else noticed that.
Isabel wondered, “So, why is Nico even staying with you?”
“When I first encountered him, I didn't know what he had done,” Maris murmured as she took her seat. “Now, he's developed an obvious attachment to Breccan here -”
“So isn't that a reason to make sure he stays far away?” Isabel interrupted Maris.
As much as I didn't want Nico kicked out of the house, I had to admit Isabel's question was a good one. Why hadn't Maris made Nico leave yet? Was she, perhaps, going to make him leave now?
“I'm not leaving Breccan!” Nico cried.
Maris sighed. “Is it so easy to make a god go away?”
“No, it's not,” Isabel said.
“As much as you won't believe this, I think Nico is showing genuine remorse. Even he deserves a second chance,” she murmured.
Isabel spit out her coffee. “Are you serious? Gods don't change their natures.”
“I'm trying to change mine,” Nico whispered.
Finbar raised an eyebrow. “Really? You're not exactly doing a great job with how you've stolen Breccan.”
“Stolen? It's not like he was yours when I took him,” Nico objected.
Maris said, “I haven't actually forgiven Nico, yet. I am merely allowing him a chance to prove he has some worth. Right now, he does not have any, but, perhaps, he can prove himself.”
I thought Nico deserved a chance to prove himself. Unlike Egan, he seemed capable of remorse. How, though, could he prove he had worth? And why did I care so much?
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written for 500themes prompt #83 - "Counting Years"
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen, Part Seventeen, Part Eighteen, Part Nineteen
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“The Shadow Man lives here,” Finbar said. He stepped forward, so Isabel could see him.
“I knew it was true,” she breathed.
Isabel turned back to glare at Nico. “But what in all the hells are you doing here?” She then looked at me. “Do you know what your friend did to me?”
Maris said, “Perhaps you should come inside. It's better to talk where people can't see or hear us.”
Isabel gave both me and Nico a glare just as poisonous as any of Finbar's, but she entered the house. Nico held my hand so tightly I thought he might break my fingers, and I felt how much he was shaking. How - this couldn't be happening, but it was. Out of the corner of my eye, I even saw tears start to form in Nico's eyes.
“You shouldn't allow that to stay in your house,” Isabel hissed, referring almost certainly to Nico.
Maris sighed. “Why don't we all go into the sitting room, and Isabel, you can tell us why you're even here? I must admit I'm curious.”
When we entered the sitting room, I took a seat next to Nico on the couch. He continued to grasp my hand, and I didn't have it in me to make him let go. He shook so badly, I almost wished I could hold him. That wouldn't be appropriate in front of Isabel, though. I knew I shouldn't even feel bad for Nico at all, but I simply couldn't help it. It seemed Nico's apparent remorse might tear him apart.
Isabel remained standing, her arms crossed over her chest. Finbar remained standing as well and kept staring at her, curiosity and something else in his expression. It looked like the expressions he used to give me, before everything. Was he - was he expressing romantic interest in her? Did he even like women? Did I even care anymore? Part of me felt I ought to be more jealous than I was.
Maris took a seat in one of the chairs in the room. “Do you want to take seat, Isabel?”
“I'm fine,” she said.
“I can't believe there's another - another like me,” Finbar breathed. He seemed almost hypnotized by the shadows that crossed Isabel's light brown face. “How?”
“Y-you can't - can't be here. As you - as you were, o-over fifty years ago,” Nico stammered.
“The shadows keep me looking young, and time flows funny when you're embroiled in darkness,” she muttered. “It doesn't feel like it's been all that long.”
Maris asked, “So, before we discuss - that, why don't you tell me how and why you found us? It's not exactly like my house is a popular tourist destination.”
“Rumors,” Isabel stated. “I heard a 'Shadow Man' was disrupting the market and that a woman who liked to fight with knives had taken him prisoner. All I had to do was follow the rumors as they spread. It was easy enough to figure it out”
“Rumors do travel faster than anything else,” Maris said.
“How - did it happen to you?” Finbar asked. He definitely stared at her, blatantly fascinated.
“It was all Nico's fault,” Isabel spat.
Nico's eyes widened, “I - I never...”
She glared at him with murderous fury. “Not directly, you stupid - it was after you raped me.”
He whimpered and tried to curl into himself, still not letting go of my hand.
Isabel stared at me. “You knew already, didn't you? Yet you hold his hand like you're lovers.”
My cheeks burned; I had to be visibly blushing. I avoided Isabel's eyes. Nevertheless, I felt her contemptuous gaze bore into me. The sheer amount of disgust in those eyes made my skin crawl.
“You - you are lovers,” she said, disbelief rolling off her.
I wanted to lie and protest it wasn't true, but I nodded instead.
She threw her hands up in the air and shot me another poisonous look. It surprised me I didn't immediately die from it, though my heart did stop.
Finbar muttered, “Breccan has terrible taste; the whore just can't keep his trousers on.”
“That's enough!” Maris snapped. “Isabel, if you don't mind, could you explain exactly how you came to be this way? Everything I learned about magic says shadow people shouldn't be possible once, let alone twice.”
I dared to look at her now. Isabel straightened her posture, standing up to her full height. “I had an inner strength even Nico couldn't destroy, though he tried.” She glared at him yet again. “He's even more pathetic now than he was then, only now he holds absolutely no sway over me.”
“What specifically caused the shadows?” Maris asked.
Isabel said, “After Nico was too weak to take no for an answer, I left the inn where we were staying. Being angry and now homeless, I wandered the city despite rumors of evil creatures coming out at night. I wasn't going back to Nico, despite not having any money of my own. Naturally, one of these rumored creatures found me after night fell.” She glanced at Nico. “Having had enough of evil taking from me, I refused to let the shadow creature kill me. Unfortunately, I was not a skilled enough fighter to keep its shadow attacks from touching me. I was, however, strong enough to incorporate the shadows into myself.”
Finbar looked at me and muttered, “That's much like what happened to me, though I got mine helping a man most certainly not worth the trouble.”
“Him?” Isabel snorted.
“Yes, Breccan. We were partners, once,” Finbar said.
Isabel shook her head. “I'm sorry it happened to you, too, especially over someone with his poor morals.”
Nico squeaked, “H-hey, Breccan doesn't - doesn't have poor morals.”
Isabel laughed, a deep, yet derisive belly laugh. “You're going to talk about who has poor morals or not? That's something. That's really, really something.”
I couldn't process what was happening. Why would Nico even try to defend me like that?
“Why don't I make everyone some coffee?” Maris suggested. “Try not to kill each other while I'm gone.”
“Oh, I would kill Nico if he were mortal,” Isabel hissed. “I have no tolerance for fake remorse. I probably could kill him even now, with my power, but I won't bother.”
Maris exited the room. With everything that had happened, I could use some coffee.
Finbar said, “I don't think Nico is worth the effort.”
“He probably isn't,” Isabel agreed. “But that doesn't mean he deserves to live.”
The two of them shared a look. They seemed so alike because of their of shadows. A great sense of distance hit me; I was so far from Finbar now.
“I don't deserve to live,” Nico whispered, so softly I wasn't sure anyone else heard him.
Isabel did hear him. “At least we agree on something.”
“I truly am sorry for raping you,” Nico said.
“He is. I can tell.” The words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them. I realized almost immediately how I wasn't helping anything.
“Of course you would defend your new lover,” Finbar muttered.
Maris finally returned with the coffee. After she handed me my cup, I sipped it while avoiding Isabel's and Finbar's eyes. I did catch Nico's eye, though. He smiled slightly at me and mouthed “thank you.” Luckily, nobody else noticed that.
Isabel wondered, “So, why is Nico even staying with you?”
“When I first encountered him, I didn't know what he had done,” Maris murmured as she took her seat. “Now, he's developed an obvious attachment to Breccan here -”
“So isn't that a reason to make sure he stays far away?” Isabel interrupted Maris.
As much as I didn't want Nico kicked out of the house, I had to admit Isabel's question was a good one. Why hadn't Maris made Nico leave yet? Was she, perhaps, going to make him leave now?
“I'm not leaving Breccan!” Nico cried.
Maris sighed. “Is it so easy to make a god go away?”
“No, it's not,” Isabel said.
“As much as you won't believe this, I think Nico is showing genuine remorse. Even he deserves a second chance,” she murmured.
Isabel spit out her coffee. “Are you serious? Gods don't change their natures.”
“I'm trying to change mine,” Nico whispered.
Finbar raised an eyebrow. “Really? You're not exactly doing a great job with how you've stolen Breccan.”
“Stolen? It's not like he was yours when I took him,” Nico objected.
Maris said, “I haven't actually forgiven Nico, yet. I am merely allowing him a chance to prove he has some worth. Right now, he does not have any, but, perhaps, he can prove himself.”
I thought Nico deserved a chance to prove himself. Unlike Egan, he seemed capable of remorse. How, though, could he prove he had worth? And why did I care so much?
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written for 500themes prompt #83 - "Counting Years"